Translation of the song Istasera un'Organittu (Serenada de Ierru) artist Marisa Sannia

Istasera un’organittu

Tonight an accordion

sonat in sa cantonada;

is playing on the corner;

est una notte isteddada,

it’s a starry night,

est una notte isteddada.

it’s a starry night.

Cal’est s’amore lontanu

Which is the remote love

chi m’amentat custu sonu?

that this sound reminds me?

De chi’ est custu resjonu

Whose speech is this,

antigu dulche e galanu?

old, sweet, charming?

Bessit dae Campidanu,

Does it come from Campidano

falat dae Logudoro?

or come down from Logudoro?

No isco, no isco.

I don’t know, I don’t know.

Intantu su coro

Anyhow, my heart

iscultat sa serenada.

is listening to the serenade.

Sos montes sunt ispozados,

Mountains are bare,

falat bianca s’iddia;

the white frost is laying;

e paret cust’armonia

and this harmony sounds like

boghes de amores passados,

voices of past loves,

de coros iscunfortados

of disconsolate choirs

in tropu mala fortuna

amid too much bad luck,

chi dimandan nessi una

that ask at least for one

die felice e pasada.

happy and quiet day.

Istasera un’organittu

Tonight an accordion

sonat in sa cantonada;

is playing on the corner;

est una notte isteddada,

it’s a starry night,

est una notte isteddada.

it’s a starry night.

Cantan forsis de fulana

Maybe are they singing

cudda bellesa divina?…

for that divine beauty?...

Una pobera ‘ighina

A poor neighbor,

mesu etza e pagu sana,

an elderly and sickly lady,

issa puru a sa ventana

she too leans out

s’acerat pro iscultare.

of the window to listen.

No est pro innamorare,

She is not in love

ma iscultat incantada,

but listens spellbound,

iscultat sa serenada.

listens to the serenade.

Ind’un’atera istajone,

In other times

cantaiant pro issa puru

they sang also for her,

a facca de su etzu muru,

next to the old wall,

suta su etzu balcone,

under the old balcony,

calchi festosa cantone

some merry song,

calchi mutu fentomadu.

some famous ditty.

Ma totu custu est passadu,

But that’s all past

ne tenet pius torrada.

and will never return.

Istasera un’organittu

Tonight an accordion

sonat in sa cantonada,

is playing on the corner;

est una notte isteddada,

it’s a starry night,

est una notte isteddada.

it’s a starry night.